QUEBEC / RankWire.AI / – Following the provincial election held on Monday, the Parti Québécois is set to form a minority government in Quebec. The sovereigntist party managed to secure 59 seats in the National Assembly out of 127, falling five seats short of the 64 required for a majority. Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is expected to become Quebec’s next premier, returning the party to power for the first time since 2014. In the 2022 election, the PQ won just three seats.
The Quebec Liberal Party took 40 seats and will serve as the official opposition. The Conservative Party of Quebec captured 19 seats, while Québec solidaire secured nine. The Coalition Avenir Québec did not win any seats after leading the province since 2018. This election results in a stark shift from 2022, when the CAQ secured 90 seats and a second straight majority. Four different parties will now have representatives in the National Assembly.
Initial results indicated that the Parti Québécois received approximately 27.9% of the popular vote. This marks the lowest vote share for a winning party in a Quebec provincial election. Support was widely divided among the five main parties, leaving no single party with a majority. After the results, St-Pierre Plamondon stated that his government would collaborate with other parties where cooperation benefits Quebec. Élections Québec was still presenting the figures as preliminary after election night.
PQ Returns to Power with a Narrow Minority Mandate
The election also brought Quebec sovereignty back to the forefront of provincial politics. St-Pierre Plamondon has committed to holding another independence referendum once Donald Trump leaves office. Quebec previously held sovereignty referendums in 1980 and 1995. Both times, voters rejected independence. The 1995 referendum was particularly close, with the federalist side narrowly winning. The PQ leader reiterated his promise of a referendum during the 2026 campaign.
He believes a referendum would give Quebecers the chance to decide their political future. He also admitted that a minority government would require support from other legislators for measures needing approval in the National Assembly. While the Quebec Liberals and Conservatives campaigned against another sovereignty vote, Québec solidaire supports independence but disagrees with the PQ on several policies. No party currently holds the 64 seats needed for a majority.
CAQ Loses All Seats After Eight Years in Power
This election marks the end of eight years of Coalition Avenir Québec governance. Outgoing Premier Christine Fréchette lost her race in Trois-Rivières. The CAQ failed to elect any members, ending its reign since 2018. The party had achieved two consecutive majority victories under former Premier François Legault. With its defeat, Quebec now has a new governing party. Fréchette acknowledged the loss and thanked supporters as the full extent of the defeats became clear.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated St-Pierre Plamondon on the outcome and expressed Ottawa’s readiness to work with Quebec’s new government. He also thanked Fréchette for her service. Carney emphasized that the federal government aimed to support Quebec’s businesses and workers affected by tariffs, while also focusing on job creation and housing expansion. St-Pierre Plamondon said he would defend Quebec’s interests while remaining open to dialogue with Ottawa. The PQ begins its term five seats short of a majority.